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Sensitization to local dust‐mite fauna in Singapore
Author(s) -
Chew F.T.,
Lim S.H.,
Goh D.Y.T.,
Lee B.W.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1034/j.1398-9995.1999.00050.x
Subject(s) - sensitization , mite , fauna , medicine , dermatology , immunology , biology , ecology
Background: Recent studies showed the presence of a unique dust‐mite fauna in the indoor environment of Singapore. Immediate hypersensitivity to these dust mites, along with other known indoor allergens, may play a role in the pathogenesis of allergic respiratory diseases. This study evaluated the sensitization rates of the local atopic population to these allergens. Methods: The skin prick test was performed on a total of 391 individuals (289 patients with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis and 102 healthy controls) using extracts of six species of local dust mites ( Austroglycyphagus malaysiensis , Blomia tropicalis , Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus , D. farinae , Sturnophagoides brasiliensis , and Tyrophagus putrescentiae ) and 10 other common indoor allergens. Total serum IgE and specific IgE to these dust mites were also quantified with the fluorescence allergosorbent test (FAST). Results: The sensitization rates among patients with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis to dust mites and other inhalant allergens tested (via skin prick tests) were as follow: B. tropicalis (96.2%), D. pteronyssinus (93.4%), D. farinae (92.3%), A. malaysiensis (78.2%), S. brasiliensis (71.6%), T. putrescentiae (71.3%), canary feathers (69.9%), Periplaneta americana (cockroach) (59.5%), Blattella germanica (cockroach) (56.4%), mosquito ( Aedes sp.) (46.4%), dog epithelia (mixed breed) (34.3%), kapok seed (31.8%), cat hair (29.1%), Aspergillus fumigatus (20.8%), Penicillium notatum (18.0%), and Candida (Monilia) albicans (9.3%). All patients were observed to react to at least three of the six dust‐mite extracts, with 254/289 (87.9%) reacting to at least five or to all six. Skin prick responses to the dust mites were found to correlate with the corresponding specific IgE levels quantified by FAST ( P <0.001). In addition, specific IgE levels to D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae were highly correlated (Spearman's rank coefficient=0.76, P <0.001), as were those to B. tropicalis and A. malaysiensis ( r =0.60, P <0.001). Conclusions: Asthma and/or allergic rhinitis patients were highly sensitized to the local dust‐mite fauna. Thus, these dust mites should be considered important allergenic sources of this region.